Caught in the Rain
by TheTurkeyVulture
Summary: Winter rain really isn't the best thing to be waiting in for a long period of time, as our boys find out. Eventual Leon/Cloud
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Author's note: Enjoy! Critiques are very welcome! :)

*******

Leon roamed the winter streets of Radiant Garden, a soured sort of look on his face.

Earlier that day, as per usual to most days, he and the rest of the Restoration Committee set themselves to clearing out the refuge from the path to the castle. With so much heavy lifting and such needed (especially the kind that required far more than human strength), some heavy machinery was in need for their goal's completion.

Leon grunted irritatedly in remembrance of what happened with said equipment.

Yuffie, deciding it was her sole duty to "inspect" the machines during their break to make sure they were running correctly did more damage to their restoration than the original amount before they started. She single handedly took them two metaphorical steps backward.

Leon, as the unofficial leader of their group, was outraged. Of course, he could never take out his anger on his friends. Even if they behaved like a toddler with a new toy. It was then that he decided he needed to take a walk. Mostly to blow off some steam, but he also wanted to survey other areas around Radiant Garden to see what needed to be worked on next (that was if they ever finished with their current project).

Thunder rolled in the distance, shaking Leon from his thoughts and back to the present.

The skies above Radiant Garden were a deep purple-grey, heavy with its still unreleased weight of water.

A cool breeze blew from the South-East carrying the taste and smell of damp earth.

Leon looked around him, discovering that the many pedestrians that were strolling the streets like he was moments before had now scurried away in search of shelter from the oncoming torrent of the storm.

There was a great flash and another great clap of thunder, much louder this time, and the last of the civilians disappeared.

Leon glanced at his surroundings before judging which would be the quickest way to get to Merlin's study and set off, his pace barely a brisk walk.

It was then that the first drop of rain hit the pavement just a short distance in front of him, followed by another, and another, filling the streets with a soft pitter-patter as more drops followed suit.

Leon had just made a turn onto another street when the rain began to come down even harder, the previous "pitter-patter" melding into a harsh mixture between the crackling of the thunder and the large multitude of raindrops splashing against the pavement. The wind picked up as well and started howling in his ears.

With the air outside already having been cool enough to need a jacket, the coldness of the rain only made it worse, the not quite frozen drops stinging with their frigid temperatures.

Leon squinted through wet eyelashes down the street, but only saw the rain, now coming down in sheets, and the white haze that always seemed to appear during any typical rain storm, causing the area in front of him seem as though he was looking at it through a sheer white veil.

Leon leaned into the wind and ducked his head, determined to make it back to Merlin's before he ended up catching a cold from the onslaught of elements that seemed content in doing just that.

Glancing up for a moment, he saw someone else standing in the middle of the street some distance away.

He blinked to make sure it wasn't just his eyes playing tricks on him. After all, who, besides him, would have been crazy enough to be caught up in a storm of this caliber?

His eyes had not deceived him as the figure was standing in the very same place as Leon had seen them just a moment ago.

Cautiously, he approached them.

As he drew nearer, he discovered that it was not some unknown stranger, but Cloud, a man he had only recently felt comfortable enough to call a friend.

He was standing, leaning, rather, against a wall of some building, his usual spikes damp and clinging to his face and scalp.

"Hey" Leon called out over the rain which seemed to swallow up all other sounds but its own.

It was loud enough for Cloud to hear, though, as Leon could see him visibly jump slightly at his words.

Cloud met Leon's gaze and gave him a nod of greeting "Welcome back".

Leon smiled slightly, and nodded.

Walking a bit faster now, both of them headed for the same destination, Leon did not feel the same weight on his shoulders as he did before. He didn't know why, but the blond seemed to have that effect on him.

Briefly, Leon wondered why Cloud was even out there in the first place, simply standing there even though the skies had opened up all around him, but he wanted to respect the other man's privacy, so he decided not to ask.

Upon their eventual arrival at Merlin's they were greeted with a busy Aerith bustling about, demanding that they immediately go and change before they caught pneumonia.

Leon chuckled and agreed. "Come on" he urged Cloud, jerking his head in the direction of the stairs.

Cloud coughed lightly into a balled up fist and shuddered again.

"Are you alright?" Leon asked softly.

Cloud nodded slightly, offering a small smile in return. A smile that did nothing to ease Leon's concern.

"Come on! Up you go!" Aerith demanded once more "You need to get changed of of those cold, wet clothes!"

Both men agreed and began to make their way to the stairs.

Cloud paused at the foot of the stairs, bracing himself up against the wall for support.

"Cloud..?" Leon began, reaching to grasp the other man's arm.

He almost recoiled as soon as he touched the other man, his skin as cold as ice.

The only thought in his mind echoed itself over and over again: 'How long was he out there?'

It was only then that Leon noticed the other man's labored breathing and hale pale his skin had become as compared to usual. The other man's entire frame shivered, not violently, but visibly enough to make him seem... frail.

Cloud turned more towards Leon, his eyes closed tightly as if he were in pain and his breathing coming out in harsh rasps.

His eyes, opening only for a moment, seemed dull, their usual sparkle diminished.

Then he collapsed.

"Cloud!" Leon cried out, more than a little surprised at the sudden turn of events.

There were sounds of chairs scraping against the floor in the kitchen nearby and the heavy thumps of what could only be Cid's boots as, as well as everyone else in the study, rushed to see what could cause so much distress in their leader's voice.

Aerith knelt beside the blond and placed a gentle hand on his forehead.

Her eyes widened momentarily at the temperature.

Leon saw that she was speaking to him, but he couldn't hear anything over the sound of his heart beat in his ears.

"-ermia"

Leon shook his head and glanced back down to the blond for a moment before looking back at her "what?"

Aerith placed a firm hold on Leon's shoulder as if to keep him in the present rather than have his mind wander due to the sheer shock of the events unfolding.

"It's severe hypothermia" she repeated, her voice level, yet still unsteady at the same time.

Leon's eyebrows knitted together as he turned back to Cloud. The other man's face looked as if he were in pain and his breathing ragged.

"Leon" Aerith said softly, prompting him to do what he knew he had to do.

Leon nodded and leaned over the blond, scooping the man into his arms and slinging one of his limp arms around his shoulders.

He had to warm the other man's body... using his own.

It was a job that really only Leon could do, what with most of the other tenants of the house being women and Cid.

When Leon finally managed to carry Cloud's dead weight up the stairs and down the hall, he kicked the door open to their shared room where a large king sized bed-the room being to small to fit two smaller beds- sat amongst the rest of their things.

With everyone from the Restoration Committee all living under the same roof, even with the use of Merlin's magic, most of them had to make sacrifices and double up when it came to rooms: Areith roomed with Yuffie, Leon roomed with Cloud, Cid slept in his "workshop" (otherwise known as the garage) and Merlin slept in the tower. With Tifa only recently having come back to Radiant Garden, she was leasing a house until they either made more room in the burrow or they cleared space in the castle.

Leon laid the other man down gently, propping him up slightly against the headboard before he began to strip the man out of his cold, wet clothes. He undressed himself immediately after.

He would never admit it to anyone but at that moment, standing nearly naked in the same room as the blond (unconscious or not)... he felt vulnerable. He pushed his brief feeling of vulnerability to the back of his mind for later contemplation in favor of saving his friend.

Feeling the other man's skin directly on his own, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He had to warm him up, and quick.

It took some rearranging on his part, but he eventually managed to get them both under the blankets and wrapped his arms tightly around the other, their bodies melding together curiously well.

Leon resisted his reflex to repel the source of the cold and lay gazing out the only window in their room, watching the rain drops dance down the window pain.

It was in that position that he slipped into a peaceful slumber: With his chin resting atop the blond's head and with a hint of a smile playing his lips


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Author's note: I usually don't update so quickly! Wow! So, here's the second installment- Enjoy!

And no, I don't think this will be the last chapter.... one more at the least

Critiques are encouraged!

*******

Leon woke with a start, the light from the outside streaming through the window and through his unopened eyelids.

He stretched slightly beneath the covers, yawning widely.

He felt great. Better than normal, actually. Though, it was not until he finally did open his eyes that he noticed that something was missing.

Cloud.

Leon sat up quickly, too quickly, and immediately felt lightheaded.

'Cloud!' he thought frantically, standing up as soon as he recovered from his brief dizzy-spell. After hastily pulling on a pair of his discarded pants, he quickly made his way out the bedroom door and down the stairs.

"Cloud!" he called out frantically.

There was a loud clatter from the kitchen following his sudden outburst. Leon quickly changed his destination.

"Cloud?" he cried again, bursting into the kitchen.

Aerith, who was picking up pieces of a dinner plate that she had dropped in surprize after Leon's first frantic shouts, dropped them again. "Leon!" she gasped.

Cloud knelt beside her and began to help.

Aerith quickly cleared the broken pieces of china from the floor with Cloud's help, scooping them up into a dishrag so that she could discard them.

"Sorry" Leon said somewhat sheepishly.

When the floor was clear of the hazardous shards, Cloud stood, meeting Leon's eyes.

"Yes?" he asked "You called?"

Aerith glanced between the two, clutching the dish towel tightly.

"Excuse me" she mumbled, leaving the kitchen.

She sensed an atmosphere between the two men that was too heavy for her to grasp.

Of course, as was characteristic of the two men, a long silence stretched for quite some time after Aerith had dismissed herself.

Neither of them wanted to be the first to break it.

Cloud retrieved a mug of coffee, one that he had been drinking out of before Leon shouted his name again and again, giving its contents a swirl.

"Why?" Leon asked softly.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at the other man in questioning "Pardon?"

Leon paused before repeating himself "Why were you waiting out there....out in the rain"

Cloud chuckled to himself humorlessly "You know" he said carefully, draining the last of his mug's contents "I was wondering the very same thing". His words were heavy, almost as if they were weighed down by their own hidden meaning.

After having said that, he placed his dirtied mug in the sink and exited the room, leaving Leon to mull over his thoughts in peace.

Another silence followed for a long time.

Leon, who usually welcomed the silence, felt that its weight was nearly suffocating. He felt frustrated with not only Cloud's vague answer, but at himself. He could not stand the fact that he could not figure out what it was that the blond meant.

"He was waiting for you"

Leon turned his head sharply at the source of the sudden intrusion, snapping out of his thoughts.

Tifa stood with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against the door frame between the kitchen and living area.

Leon's eyebrows knitted together, his confusion apparent on his face.

Tifa sighed and uncrossed her arms "You really haven't noticed?"

Leon shook his head slowly "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

Tifa huffed "He was waiting for you" she stressed. "He was waiting in the rain for _you_"

Leon's eyes widened slightly. 'Could it really be true?' he thought skeptically. He simply could not believe that the other man would have put his own life endanger just to wait for him as Tifa was saying.

Tifa raised an eyebrow expectantly "Well?"

Leon glanced up at her "Well what?"

Tifa tried to find the right words to get her point across, but failed to find any suiting. She sighed "Look" she began "I've known Cloud for a long time" She made a motion with her hands-a mixture between a shrug and somewhat of a wave "and if there is one thing that I've learned, its that he has a hard time opening up to people"

'Tell me about it' Leon thought to himself, but thought it would be better not to voice his opinion. He had seen Tifa angered in the past and it was not something he was keen on being subjected to.

"But to you..." Tifa paused, her hand unconsciously moving in a swirling motion as she wracked her mind for the right words "as soon as you came into the picture... he began to smile"

Leon thought over all the time he had spent with the other man since he came back to them when it was still being called Hollow Bastion and indeed remembered the many small smiles the blond had offered him. Leon never thought anything of it at the time, but now...

Tifa smiled warmly "Take it easy, Leonhart" she said as she patted his bare shoulder "and don't think too much about it" She exited the kitchen, having said all that she had wanted to say.

Leon grunted in response, so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even register her referring to his "old self".

His talk with Tifa left him feeling even more confused than after heis conversation- if you could call an exchange of barely twenty words that- with Cloud.

Leon crossed an arm across his chest, raising the other and pinching the bridge of his nose in thought.

The signs were all there, but he just couldn't bring himself to think that what the other man was feeling was akin to what Tifa was implying.

For the rest of the day, Leon went through his daily routine- leading the Restoration Committee in cleaning up after Yuffie's mishap the day prior- all while reviewing the past couple of days in his head over and over again.

By the time their lunch break arrived, Leon felt as if he were to go insane.

"I'm going to take a walk" he declared, brushing the dirt and grime from the hard work from his pants and jacket.

It was not nearly as cold as it had been the night before, but still quite chilly.

Leon pulled his jacket a bit closer as a particularly cold gust of wind blew, turning to go down the Ravine Trail.

He found a fissure in the crystal-like stone that was characteristic of Radiant Garden and ducked into its opening, surprised that it seemed to be illuminated so well even though it was so closed off.

Leon took a seat, leaning against one of the fissures less craggy walls and shutting his eyes.

He was well aware that the others had most likely gone back to work by now, but with his thoughts tormenting him as they were, Leon didn't think he would be of much help anyway.

After having spent so much time trying to figure out if Cloud regarded him simply as a friend (or if he thought of him as _more_, rather), Leon came to question his own feelings as well.

'Can it really be true?' he silently questioned.

After Riona, Leon did not think that he would ever have feelings for anyone ever again, let alone a man.

Yet, even after telling himself these things, he found that he found the idea of a relationship with Cloud.... endearing.

The thought didn't even surprise him anymore.

"Hey"

Leon's eyes snapped open, his head jerking in the direction of the intrusion.

Cloud lifted his hand in a half-hearted wave.

Leon stared for a moment before returning the greeting "Hey" he said before slowly making his way to his feet.

Neither man spoke for the time being, even though both men had something that they wanted to say.

"Look, I-"

"Listen, abou-"

Both men stopped mid sentence.

Leon's eyes flicked towards Cloud, their eyes locking- stormy gray meeting clear, stunning blue.

Leon felt himself overcome with emotions, each of them increasingly overwhelming.

He took a step closer to the blond, his body moving of its own accord.

"Cloud" he whispered, now standing less than a foot away.

Cloud gasped as Leon lifted his hand to cup the his face.

Leon's eyes shone with a sudden new found resolve.

"Cloud" he whispered again, more breathily than before.

His lips brushed so softly against Cloud's own that he found himself wondering if he had imagined it.

He pressed his lips against the other man's lips once more, putting more pressure behind it this time.

The sensation that followed was purely intoxicating.

Leon prodded at Cloud's lips with his tongue, sending a silent message to the other man.

Whatever that message was, Cloud seemed to have understood as he opened his mouth ever so slightly, wrapping his arms around Leon's neck.

Leon smirked into the kiss, before taking advantage of the situation and nipped at the blond's bottom lip.

The low, appreciative hum he managed to coax from the blond only encouraged him to go further.

Leon swirled his tongue against Cloud's, gaining the other man's participation in the process.

Many minutes passed, both men breathing in heavy, panting breaths, before they finally parted.

"What" Cloud panted "was that for?"

Leon chuckled slightly between breaths "You know" he began "I was wondering the very same thing"

Cloud's flickered with the remembrance of their encounter in the kitchen. He smiled.

Leon smiled as well.

The idea of a relationship was _very_ endearing.


End file.
